Technology chosen before feasibility
Projects often inherit a structure choice before the business case is finished, which locks cost and operating assumptions too early.
How Aegis works
A documented route from first assessment to first harvest
Greenhouse projects fail on coordination, not on equipment. Each stage below produces documents you can take to a board or a bank, so no decision rests on an assumption nobody wrote down.
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01
Project Discovery
Indicative duration: 2-3 weeks
We collect site, climate, water, energy and market data, then define what the project must achieve commercially before any technology is discussed.
Decision this stage settles
Is the site and objective combination physically and commercially plausible?
What we need from you
Site location and boundaries, target crop, water and grid information, commercial objective.
Deliverables
- Requirement brief
- Site and climate assessment
- Data gap list
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02
Feasibility & Production Model
Indicative duration: 4-6 weeks
Yield, revenue, energy, labour and capex are modelled together and stress-tested against realistic ramp-up and price scenarios.
Decision this stage settles
Does the project clear its return threshold under a conservative price and ramp-up case?
What we need from you
Target market and pricing evidence, financing structure, labour cost assumptions.
Deliverables
- Production model
- Capex and opex envelope
- Payback scenarios
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03
Technology Selection
Indicative duration: 3-4 weeks
Structure, glazing, climate systems, irrigation and automation level are selected against crop requirements and local conditions, then documented.
Decision this stage settles
Which technical package delivers the target yield with acceptable energy, labour and maintenance risk?
What we need from you
Climate control targets, crop programme, operator capability and local maintenance constraints.
Deliverables
- Technology shortlist
- System comparison matrix
- Preliminary specification
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04
Supplier Sourcing
Indicative duration: 4-6 weeks
The specification is tendered to a qualified shortlist. Offers are levelled to identical scope so decisions are made on real differences.
Decision this stage settles
Which supplier combination best matches the required scope, risk profile and commercial structure?
What we need from you
Preferred contract model, delivery region, procurement constraints and financing conditions.
Deliverables
- Tender package
- Leveled bid comparison
- Commercial recommendation
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05
Project Execution
Indicative duration: 8-18 months
Aegis coordinates manufacturing, logistics, civil works and installation against one master schedule with milestone verification.
Decision this stage settles
Is every discipline delivering to the approved scope, sequence and quality baseline?
What we need from you
Civil readiness, local contractor interfaces, governance roles and approval cadence.
Deliverables
- Master schedule
- Progress reporting
- Quality and scope controls
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06
Commissioning & Start-Up
Indicative duration: 4-8 weeks
Systems are tested against performance criteria, operators are trained and the first crop cycle is planned with your agronomy team.
Decision this stage settles
Is the greenhouse ready to move from project asset to productive operating facility?
What we need from you
Operating team availability, crop start schedule and utility readiness.
Deliverables
- Commissioning checklist
- Operator handover
- Start-up action plan
Why this process exists
The expensive mistakes are usually sequence mistakes
Quotes compared without scope alignment
Supplier offers look cheaper until missing systems, exclusions and sequencing gaps are levelled against the same requirement brief.
Execution started before decisions were documented
The most expensive corrections usually trace back to assumptions that were never written down and therefore never challenged.
Where teams usually start
Choose the stage that matches your current decision
Greenhouse Consulting
Best when the project still needs a go or no-go answer, technology direction or board-ready feasibility logic.
Learn moreCommercial Greenhouse Projects
Best when the investment case is live and the team needs specification writing, supplier comparison and project development support.
Learn moreTurnkey Greenhouse Solutions
Best when one accountable partner is needed to drive delivery from approved scope through to commissioning.
Learn moreFAQ
How engagements work in practice
Do we have to follow all six stages?+
No. Clients regularly engage Aegis for a single stage, most often feasibility or supplier sourcing. The stages are sequential because each one produces the input the next one needs, but they can be contracted separately.
Who owns the documents Aegis produces?+
You do. Specifications, models, bid comparisons and schedules are your property and remain usable if you continue with a different partner or contractor.
How is Aegis compensated?+
Consulting stages are fee-based, and project development and turnkey coordination are contracted as a fixed fee or a percentage of project value, depending on scope. Commercial terms should be defined transparently per engagement, while technical recommendations remain driven by project requirements and documented specifications.
How long does the full process take?+
From discovery to first harvest, most single-phase projects run 18 to 30 months, of which 8 to 18 months is construction and installation. The pre-construction stages take three to six months.
What happens if a stage gate is not cleared?+
The project stops there and we say so in writing. A feasibility model that does not clear its return threshold under a conservative case is a valid outcome and far cheaper than learning that after procurement.
When should we involve Aegis?+
As early as possible, ideally before land is committed or supplier negotiations begin. The decisions with the largest financial impact are usually made in the first stages.
Request a Greenhouse Project Assessment
Talk with Aegis about your location, crop, project stage and budget direction, and we will help you clarify the most practical next step, the likely project priorities and the right level of planning before formal supplier comparison begins.